Can opener and dispenser



' Dec. 6, 1966 c. w. SCHILD CAN OPENER AND DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1964 INVENTOR. CHARLES W/LZ/AA/SIW/LD My? M ATTOE/VEY Dec. 6, 1966 c. w. SCHILD 3,289,890

CAN OPENER AND DISPENSER Filed Nov. 12, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. C'l/flPLES W/ZZl/IM SCH/L0 United States Patent 3,289,890 CAN OPENER AND DISPENSER Charles William Schild, Cary, 111., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 410,548 6 Claims. (Cl. 22285) The present invention relates to a fulcruming, punc htype can opener with an integral dispensing spout and, in particular, to such an opener having means to provide adequate venting during dispensing of a product therethrough and for alleviating drippage of the product during dispensing.

The prior art discloses a number of punch-type can openers having a dispensing spout integral therewith and a can seam engaging hook adjacent one end of the spout whereby the opener may be fulcrumed or levered about the can end seam to pierce and be retained on the end wall of the can so that the product, most usually liquid, may be dispensed or poured through the hole formed in the can wall and thence'through the opener spout into a desired place of deposit. However, a serious problem with such openers is that upon tilting of the can so pierced and having the opener-dispenser attached, the liquid contents of the can have a tendency to leak through any space between the can end and the adjacent end of the spout and thence drip in an undesired manner. The prior art suggests eliminating this leakage problem by providing such, spout end with a resilient gasket.

- Since the opener itself is made of metal, utilization of such a gasket increases the expense of the opener in that it requires a separate material added in a separate operation. Further, if the gasket is completely successful in eliminating leakage a problem in venting the interior of the container for efficient dispensing is often created; whereas if adequate venting is provided the end result of leakage-prevention often suffers.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to pro vide a one-piece fulcruming, punch-type can opener hav- 3,289,890 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 The above objects are accomplished by providing an elongated hollow tube having at one end a pouring opening and at its opposite end a can engaging opening. Integral with the tube adjacent the can engaging opening are a relatively large, pointed can punch and, at the 0pposite side of the opening, a smaller retaining spear, the punch adapted to initially pierce the can Wall and make a dispensing opening therein and the spear to pass through the can wall to retain or lock the device on the can wal-l during dispensing and in some cases provide a vent opening. Also integral with or as part of the tube on one side thereof adjacent the punch is a compartment or pocket communicating with the interior of the tube, which pocket is adapted to collect seepage or drippage escaping from between the device and the opened can wall and drain such seepage back into the dispensing tube. To permit securement on and levering around the end seam of the can during initial piercing of the can wall, a hook is provided adjacent the punch and pocket.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the container opening and pouring attachment of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a container body and the container attachment, illustrating the relative positions of the attachment and the container body during dispensing of the container contents;

FIG. 3 is a perspective jview of a modified container 2 opening and pouring attachment, with parts broken away;

. FIG. 1, by twovertical walls 12 and 14 and two horizoning an integral dispensing spout which obviates the above mentioned problems.

Another object is to provide an opener-dispenser of the character described wherein undesirable leakage or drippage is alleviated when used to open a can and dispense the contents therefrom.

Yet another object is to provide an opener-dispenser of the character described wherein substantially no undesirable dripping occurs during the dispensing of a liquid therethrough and at the same time the interior of a container from which the liquid is being dispensed is adequately vented.

Still a further object is to provide an opener-dispenser of the character described which requires no separate gasketing to alleviate drippage or leakage problems during its dispensing function.

Still another object is to provide an opener-dispenser of the character described which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient in operation.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

tal Walls 16 and 18, each wall being equally inclined from the axis of the spout 10 to form a pouring spout of de creasing cross-sectional area which terminates, at its smaller end, to form a discharge opening 19. The spout 10 may be fabricated in two halves from a flat blank which halves are subsequently welded together along a longitudinal seam. This embodiment, as well as the subsequently described modifications thereof, may be fabricated from any suitable materials and if deemed desirable'other cross-sectional and longitudinal configurations of the spout may be employed, e.g. round or elliptical and curved. While the operation of the instant device does not require seals between the spout 10 and a container, such well-known seals may be employed if desired.

The wide extremities of the horizontal Walls 16' and 18' form respectively a large V-shaped cutting member or punch 20 and a relatively small punch and retaining spear 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the punch 20 curves away from the long axis of the spout with an additional curvature at its tip to effect the initial severance of the container end wall with minimum effort.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the retaining spear 22 curves generally in the same direction as the punch 20. It is preferred that the curvature of the spear 22 be such that it conforms to the arc of a circle having. its center -3 at the fulcrum point A of the device. tion permits the spear 22 to pass through the can end readily without lateral pushing or pulling of the metal of the can end thus minimizing the size of the hole made by the spear 22. The spear 22 is also curved in a transverse direction with its barb-like, transverse extremities turned outwardly to form locking ears 24 and 26. Slits 27 may be formed in the spear 22 to facilitate forming the outwardly turned locking cars 24, 26. When the spear 22 passes through a can end, the metal of the can end thereof springs back slightly, due to the usual elasticity of the metal, enabling the locking ears 24, 26 to engage therebeneath and retain the device on the can.

A portion of the exterior surface of the opposed walls 16 and 18 form respectively one wall of compartments or pockets 30 and 32 each having its open end adjacent the spear 22 and the punch 20 respectively. As best illustrated in FIG. 1, the pocket 30 adjacent the spear 22 is formed by two V-shaped side walls 36 and 38 and an upper V- shaped wall 40 located therebetween. To provide an air passage to supply air to the interior of the container, the wide extremities of the two vertical walls are provided with recesses 42. The opposite pocket 32 adjacent the punch 20 is formed by two side walls 44 (only one shown) and a bridging wall 46. The pockets 30 and 32 are madeintegral with the spout in a suitable manner, such as in the instant embodiment by welding; and are respectively placed in communication with the interior of the spout by passages 48 and 50 extending through the portion of the walls 16 and 18 respectively within the pockets.

The forward extremity of the wall 46 adjacent the punch 20 is formed to provide a hook 52 for engagement with the end seam of a can whichhook serves as a fulcrum about which to pivot the device to its operative position on a container. To maximize the grip of the hook 52 on the container end seam, the inside curvature of the hook approximates the peripheral curvature of the tubular body of the container. The employment of such a curved hook is particularly advantageously employed when the instant container attachment is utilized to ope a container having a plastic body wall. The instant container opening and pouring attachment is particularly designed to open and drain the contents of a container of the type shown in FIG. 2. This container comprises a cylindrical body 54 and sheet metal end closure 56 attached thereto by an end seam 58. To open such a container, the opener-dispenser device is grasped by the spout 10, positioned radially over the container with the hook 52 under the seam 58 and pivoted to the position illustrated in FIG. 2 using the elongated spout 10 as a lever. During initial pivoting of the device, the curved leading edge of the punch 20 punctures the end closure 56. Continued pivotal movement causes continued cutting of the metal of the closure by the punch 20 to produce a drain passage 59.

Towards or at the completion of the formation of the drain passage 59, the spear 22 passes through the metal of the can end 56 enabling its ears 24, 26 to engage beneath the end as mentioned previously. When so positioned, the device isv firmly, but releasably, anchored to I the container by compressibly gripping the container between the fulcrum hook 52 and the spear 22 with the drain passage 59 in adjacent alignment with the large open end of the spout 10. Depending upon the length of the punch 20, the spear 22 may pierce a new hole of its own in the can end 56, or it may pass through the can end at the apex of the drain hole 59. A newly pierced hole by the spear 22 such as 60 provides additional venting to the interior of the container.

To dispense a product, most usually a liquid, from the container, the container with the device anchored to the end wall is rotated to approximately a vertical disposition and the product is drained by gravity through the Such a construcdrain passage 59 and the spout 10. As the container is being emptied, air is directed to the interior of the container to replace the volume of fluid discharged and thereby maintain a container pressure which approximates atmospheric pressure. The air is directed to the interior of the container, for this purpose, by the recesses 42 which form a passage with the end closure 56. A supply of venting air is thereby accumulated in the compartment 30 from which the air is directed to the interior of the container by vent passage 60 formed in the end closure 56. Thus the recesses 42 and the compartment 30 form a channel throughwhich air is supplied to the vent passage 60 and/or to the drain passage 59 through the holes 48.

The compartment or pocket 32 is the means by which undesirable drippage of the container contents is alleviated. When the can with the device attached thereto is tilted past the horizontal to dispense the product, the lowest part of the can, particularly with cans having a circular cross-section, is the end seam portion adjacent the pocket 32. As best seen in FIG. 2, the open end or mouth of the pocket 32 extends beyond or outside this low point of the end seam. Thus any seepage or escape of liquid product from between the can end 56 and the open end of the spout 10 surrounding the drain passage 59 will flow by gravity to the end seam low pointtand thence drip or run into the pocket 32 acting, in effect, as a funnel; and from the pocket 32, through the drainback holes 50, into the spout 10. Should there be any tendency of the product to leak through the aperture surrounding the spear 22, the pocket 30 will function in a like manner. By this means undesirable drippage during liquid product dispensing is markedly alleviated if not obviated without the necessity of a fluid-tight gasket between the device and the can end with its concurrent inhibition of proper venting.

A further modification of the instant invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. A tubular spout 10' is formed, as previously discussed and illustrated with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, by two vertical walls 12 and 14' and two horizontal walls 16 and 18. The wide extremity of the lower horizontal wall 18' is curved to form a hook 63. The punch and spear, in this embodiment, are formed separately from but are rigidly secured to the spout 10'.

A punch 64, similar in all respects to the punch 20, has a flat extension 65 disposed within the larger open end of the spout and spaced from the wall 18 thereof. The extension 65 merges with an inclined section 66 which in turn merges with a flat section 67 which is fixed to the wall 18 by a suitable means such as rivets 68 or spot welds. A spear 70 is similarly attached to the upper horizontal wall 16 by rivets 72 and displaced from this wall by an inclined section 71. The cutting portions of the punch 64 and the spear 70 are identical in both their configurations and relative positions from the fulcrum hook 63 as are the punch 20 and the spear 22, specifically discussed with reference to the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. An air supply to the interior of the spout is provided, during the dispensing of a container by a recess 74 located at the wide extremity of the upper horizontal wall 16'.

To open and dispense the contents of a container, the attachment is pivoted on a doubleseam in the manner previously discussed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. After the attachment is pivoted, the punch 64 and spear 70 are located within the container at the locations specifically discussed above with reference to the punch 20 and spear 22 of the preferred embodiment. When the attachment and the container are located in the position illustrated in FIG. 2, air is supplied to the interior of the container by a channel formed by the recess 74 and the container end closure and thence through the hole made by the spear 70 and/or by the punch 64. In the instant embodiment, the spout itself, between the punch extension 65 and the portion of the spout wall 18 adjacent the book 63, forms a funnel-like compartment or pocket similar to the pocket 32.

A second modification of the instant invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. A hollow tubular spout 80, of rectangular cross-section, is fabricated from a blank by forming therewith a horizontal wall 81 with vertical part walls 86 on either side thereof and a horizontal wall 82 with vertical part walls 88 on each side and joining the adjacent longitudinal edges of the vertical part walls 86 and 88 by a weld 90. To form a pocket or compartment 91 from the tubular spout 80, the lower horizontal wall 81 is transversely cut at 92 and the adjacent section of the horizontal wall is subjected to a drawing operation, before or after the weld 90 is formed, in which an inclined wall 94, a first vertical wall 96 and a similar wall (not shown) are formed. These vertical walls cooperate with the outside surface of a longitudinally extending punch support member 98 to form the funnel-like, drainback pocket 91. The punch support member 98 is attached to the horizontal wall 81 by rivets 99 and by rivets 100 to a bridge-like portion 101 of the wall 81 disposed in front of the pocket 91. A fulcrum hook 108 is formed from the support member 98 by severing the support member along lines 102, 104 and 106. The portion of the support member 98 located between these lines is curved downwardly and outwardly to form the fulcrum hook 108.

A second support member 110 is provided with an inclined wall 112 to position the support away from the peripheral wall of the spout 80. This support is attached to the upper horizontal wall 82 by rivets or spot welds 114. The outer extremities of each support member 98 and 110 is provided respectively with punch 116 and a spear 118. The punch 116 and the spear 118 are identical in their construction and operation to the punch 20 and the spear 22 specifically discussed with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. To supply air to the interior of the spout 80, during dispensing, the wide extremity of the horizontal wall 82 is provided with a recess 120.

To place the instant container opening and pouring attachment in its operative position, the attachment is rotated on a container seam at the hook 108 to position the attachment on a container in the manner illustrated in H6. 2. The cutting operation and the relative positions of tie cutting members are specifically discussed above with reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When the container and the container attachment are located in the position illustrated in FIG. 2, vent air is supplied to the interior of the container by a channel formed by the recess 120 and the adjacent surface of the end closure and by the adjacent surfaces of the support member 110 and the wall 82. The pocket 91 is similar in function and structure to the pocket 32 with the drain-back being around the edges of the support member 98.

It is to be understood that it is not essential to the instant invention to provide special apertures or passages for the entrance of venting air into the interior of the spout. Venting air ingress may result merely from a loose engagement of the periphery of the spout end adjacent the punch and spear with the can end. With such a construction, the spears 70 or 118 need not be spaced from the adjacent wall of the spout nor' would the pocket 30 be essential, these elements being present to insure positive, eflicient venting. This is particularly true if no added resilient gasket is used on the device.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described being merely exemplary embodiments thereof; and that modifications within the purview of the invention resulting from combinations of element-s from the embodiments spe- 5 cifically described will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A container opening and pouring attachment adapted to open a container end closure attached to a tubular container body by a seam, comprising:

an open ended hollow tubular spout having a container contacting means at one end and pouring means at the opposite end;

fulcruming means for positioning, aligning and pivoting said attachment on said container seam, said fulcruming means being the only portion of the container contacting end of said spout lying outside the periphery of said container seam when said attachment is in pouring position on said container;

a curved relatively flat V-shaped closure cutting member located adjacent said fulcruming means and adapted to sever a drain passage within said end closure as said attachment is pivoted;

and a substantially planar spear-shaped combined punching and retaining element having barbed outwardly turned locking ears, said element being smaller than said closurecutting member, located on said container contacting means end opposite to and having substantially the same orientation as said closure cutting member at said container contacting end of said spout, said element adapted to puncture said closure and releasably secure said attachment thereto upon complete pivoting of said spout.

2. A container attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein a compartment is disposed on the outside wall of said spout adjacent said V-shaped closure cutting member, said compartment lying between said fulcruming means and said V-shaped closure cutting member and having passage means in a wall of the compartment communicating with the interior of said spout thereby being adapted to collect drippage from said drain passage and guide said drippage to said spout interior during pouring, thus preventing spilling from the container during pouring.

3. A container attachment as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cutting member and said punch and retaining element are separate members rigidly secured to said tubular spout.

4. A container opening and pouring attachment adapted to open a container end closure attached to a tubular container body by a seam comprising:

an open-ended, hollow tubular spout having a container-contacting extremity and an opposed pouring extremity;

a curved fulcrum hook for pivoting the attachment on the container seam;

a V-shaped substantially planar container-cutting member located adjacent the fulcrum hook and adapted to sever a drain passage within the end closure as the attachment is pivoted;

a spear-shaped container punching member having outwardly turned locking ears located radially inwardly of the V-shaped cutting member and adapted to puncture said end closure and releasably secure said attachment to said closure upon complete pivoting thereof; and

a compartment having passage means in the wall of the compartment in communication with the interior of said spout adjacent said V-shaped cutting member adapted to collect and return drippage from said drain passage to said spout interior during pouring.

5. A container attachment as set forth in claim 4 wherein the spear-shaped punching member is oriented towards the longitudinal axis of the tubular spout to effect the formation of a small vent hole approximating the maximum cross-sectional area of the spear-shaped cutting element.

6. The container attachment set forth in claim 4 having additionally a second compartment having passage means in the wall of the compartment in communication References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,298,031 3/1919 Fromhagen 222569 2,007,449 7/1935 Kernodle et a1 22290 2,061,582 11/1936 Luthi 22285 8 McManus et a1. 222-85 Witte et a1. 22290 Cosdon 22289 Ream 22290 Briggs 222-90 Tammi 22290 Liljemark 22289 Lien et a1. 22281 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

WALTER SOBIN, Examiner. 

1. A CONTAINER OPENING AND POURING ATTACHMENT ADAPTED TO OPEN A CONTAINER END CLOSURE ATTACHED TO A TUBULAR CONTAINER BODY BY A SEAM, COMPRISING: AN OPEN ENDED HOLLOW TUBULAR SPOUT HAVING A CONTAINER CONTACTING MEANS AT ONE END AND POURING MEANS AT THE OPPOSITE END; FULCRUMING MEANS FOR POSITIONING, ALIGNING AND PIVOTING SAID ATTACHMENT ON SAID CONTAINER SEAM, SAID FULCRUMING MEANS BEING THE ONLY PORTION OF THE CONTAINER CONTACTING END OF SAID SPOUT LYING OUTSIDE THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CONTAINER SEAM WHEN SAID ATTACHMENT IS IN POURING POSITION ON SAID CONTAINER; A CURVED RELATIVELY FLAT V-SHAPED CLOSURE CUTTING MEMBER LOCATED ADJACENT SAID FULCRUMING MEANS AND ADAPTED TO SEVER A DRAIN PASSAGE WITHIN SAID END CLOSURE AS SAID ATTACHMENT IS PIVOTED; AND A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR SPEAR-SHAPED COMBINED PUNCHING AND RETAINING ELEMENT HAVING BARDED OUTWARDLY TURNED LOCKING EARS, SAID ELEMENT BEING SMALLER THAN SAID CLOSURE CUTTING MEMBER, LOCATED ON SAID CONTAINER CONTACTING MEANS END OPPOSITE TO AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME ORIENTATION AS SAID CLOSURE CUTTING MEMBER AT SAID CONTAINER CONTACTING END OF SAID SPOUT, SAID ELEMENT ADAPTED TO PUNCTURE SAID CLOSURE AND RELEASABLY SECURE SAID ATTACHMENT THERETO UPON COMPLETE PIVOTING OF SAID SPOUT. 